Cartridge-stop means for tubularmagazine firearms



July 24, 1951 F. HUMESTON CARTRIDGE-STOP MEANS FOR TUBULAR-MAGAZINE FIREARMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 23, 1949 ma M m.

MW in July 24, 1951 2,562,037

CARTRIDGE-STOP MEANS FOR TUBULAR-MAGAZINE FIREARMS F. L HUMESTON I Filed March 23, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 YMQZW Patented July 24, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARTRIDGE-STOP MEANS FOR TUBULAR- MAGAZINE FIREARMS Application March 23, 1949, Serial No. 82,994

Claims. 1 The present invention relates in general to firearms and more especially to improved cartridge-stop means for facilitating operation of the firearm.

An object of the invention is to provide a firearm of the tubular magazine type with a superior cartridge-stop means which is durable, dependable, economical to manufacture and easy to operate.

, A further object of the invention is to provide a firearm of the tubular magazine type with car tridge-stop means which is actuated normally by the action-means of the firearm and'which is adapted to be moved manually from its normal operating position to an inoperative position in which it is not actuated by the action-means of the firearm, as a consequence of which a fresh orfired cartridge may be unloaded from the chamber of the barrel without releasing a fresh cartridge from the magazine of the firearm.

v A still further object of the invention is. to provide a firearm of a tubular magazine type. with superior cartridge-stop means, and manuallyoperated means cooperatively associated therewith for moving the cartridge-stop means bodily tion line 5-5 of Fig. 2' showing the cartridge-stop means in its normal operating position for holding the rearmost cartridge in the tubular magazine;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary end elevation on section line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the inner wall of the left-hand side of the receiver with the action closed and the cartridge-stop means displaced from its normal operating position;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary end elevation on section line 8-8 of Fig. 7 showing the cartridge-stop means displaced from its normal operating position, but still serving to hold the rearmost cartridge in the tubular magazine of the firearm;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the operatinglever for manually operating the cartridge-stop means; and

to and from its normal operating position and for holding the cartridge-stop means positively in either of its two selected positions.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a broken left-side elevation of a fire-- arm of the tubular magazine type embodying the improved cartridge-stop means of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a broken enlarged right-side elevation partly in section of the firearm of Fig. 1 showing the action closed and locked preparatory to discharging the cartridge in the chamber of the barrel; M Fig. 3 is a-fragmentary plan elevation partly in section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 of the underside of the receiver'and tubular magazine showing the normal operating position of the cartridge-stop means when the action is closed, as in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlargedfragmentary view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the cartridge-stop means moved out of its normal operating position into a position to release the rearmost cartridge from the tubularniagazine;

Fig. '5" is a fragmentary end elevation on sec 5 the firearm.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the improved cartridge-stop means.

Referring to the drawings, the particular firearm shown therein is for the purpose of illustrating one embodiment of the invention, but it will be appreciated that it is within the purview of the invention to utilize the embodiment shown and described herein as well as obvious modifications thereof in firearms of other types.

The firearm shown is a repeating firearm of the slide-action type and comprises, in the main, a receiver 15 having a barrel I6 secured in the forward end thereof and a buttstock I! secured to the rear end of the receiver. A substantiallyrectangular recess is formed vertically in the underside of the receiver to provide an actionchamber l8 which is coaxial with the cartridgechamber IQ of the barrel [6 and superposed over an aperture 20 adapted to accommodate the trigger-plate 2| of the firearm, the receiver and trigger-plate assembly being hereinafter referred to as the frameflof the firearm. The action of the firearm comprises a breechblock 22 movably mounted in the action-chamber l8 and supported for reciprocable movement therein by an actionslide 23 which is mounted in longitudinal grooves 24 in the opposite sides respectively of the receiver for longitudinal movement therein, the longitudinal reciprocable movement of the action-slide being accomplished by the action-slide bar 25 connected at its rear end to the action-slide and at its forward end to the reciprocable fore-end 26. For brevity, the assembly comprising the breechbolt, action-slide and action-slide bar will be referred to hereinafter as the action-means of Suitably secured to the barrel and partly housed within the fore-end 26 is a tubular magazine 21, the latter underlying the barrel and having threaded engagement at its rear end in an aperture 28 in the front wall of the receiver. As indicated in Figs.2 and 3, the tubular magazine is of approved construction common to repeating firearms of this type, and as shown includes a spring 29 housed therein and adapted to urge a cartridge-follower 30 rearwardly in the magazine for automatically feeding cartridges from the tubular magazine into the actlo'n-' chamber 18, as and in the manner hereinafter described.

The fire-control means of the firearm is mounted in the trigger-plate 2| and is identified by the trigger-finger piece 31. Since the firecontrol mechanism is not pertinent to the cartridge-stop means of this invention, a more detailed description of the fire-control means is omitted.

The breechblock 22 is adapted to be reciprocated manually in the action-chamber I8 01' the frame by means of the aforementioned actionslide and action-slide bar assembly, the breechblock having a cam-lug 32 depending from its underside adapted to cammingly engage in a cam-recess 33 of the action-slide, whereby forward and rearward movements of the actionslide bar 25 impart similar movements to the action-slide and breechblock for locking and unlocking the latter in breech-closing position. To the latter end, the underside of the top wall 34 of the receiver is formed with a notch 35 having a forwardly-and-upwardly-inclined breechblocklocking shoulder 36, while the top side of the breechblock is provided at its rear end with an upwardly-and-rearwardly-sloping heel 31 which is adapted to be swung up into engagement with the locking-shouldcr 36 of the top wall 34 of the receiver by coaction of the cam-lug 32 of the breechblock with the cam-recess 33 of the actionslide as the latter is moved forwardly relative to the breechblock; and to be pulled downwardly out of engagement with the locking-shoulder 36 of the receiver by coaction of the cam-lug of the breechblock with the cam-recess of the action-slide as the latter is moved rearwardly relative to the breechblock, thereby to open the chamber of the barrel and extract and eject a spent shell from the ejection-port of the receiver.

As is characteristic of the automatic cartridgeloading mechanisms of firearms of this type, when the action-slide and breechblock are moved substantially to the end of their rearward excursions, the action-slide coacts with a cartridgecarrier (not shown) to lower the forward end thereof into position for receiving the rearmost cartridge from the tubular magazine, the rearmost cartridge being released from the magazine substantially simultaneously by coaction of a cam-lug 38 of the action-slide bar 25 with the actuating-means of the cartridge-stop means, the efiect of which is to displace the cartridge-stop means outwardly laterally out of engagement with the rearmost cartridge of the tubular magazine. As soon as the rearmost cartridge of the magazine is released by the displaced cartridgestop means, the compression-spring 29 of the tubular magazine forces the rearmost cartridge rearwardly onto the cartridge-carrier. Then as the fore-end is moved forwardly to close the breech, the cam-lug 38 of the action-slide bar disengages the actuating-means of the cartridgestop means, whereupon the latter springs inwardly into its normal operating position to stop the rearward movement of the next-succeeding cartridge from the tubular magazine. Simultaneously, the forwardly-moving action-slide actuates the cartridge-carrier to elevate the latter and the cartridge carried thereby upwardly into the action-chamber where the cartridge is engaged by the forwardly-moving breechblock and ischambered thereby in the barrel.

From the foregoing brief description of the sequence of loading operations of firearms of this type, it will be appreciated that each time the action is operated to open the breech and eject a shell, a fresh shell will be delivered onto the cartridge-carrier and subsequently loaded into the cartridge-chamber I9 as the breech is closed. There are times, however, when it is desirable to open the breech and remove a fired or fresh cartridge from the chamber of the barrel without having a fresh cartridge delivered onto the cartridge-carrier for subsequent chambering in the barrel. To these ends, improved cartridgestop means is provided comprising a lever-member indicated generally at 39, adapted to be mounted on the inside of the left-hand wall of the receiver IS in the manner hereinafter described, for movement both laterally and vertically therein. The lateral movement of the cartridge-stop means 39 is effected by coaction of the cam-lug 38 of the action-slide therewith to pivot the cartridge-stop means outwardly so as to release a cartridge from the magazine during the normal operation of the firearm, as hereinabove described. The vertical movement, however, of the cartridge-stop means constitutes bodily displacement thereof into and from operative relationship with the action-slide cam-lug while the cartridge-stop means maintains continuous engagement with the rearmost cartridge of the tubular magazine, thereby to prevent egress of the cartridge therefrom even-when the action is opened.

Referring especially to Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 10, the cartridge-stop means 39 comprises, in part, an elongated lever-member which is substantially rectangular in cross section and provided at its forward end with an inturned cartridge-engaging stop-lip 40; and at its opposite end with an outwardly-projecting lug 4| which serves as a gaugeblock for limiting lateral pivotal movement of the cartridge-stop lip 40. The cartridge-stop lever is accommodated in a substantially-rectangular elongated relief-recess 42 which extends longitudinally on the inside of the left-hand wall of the receiver and is characterized by a substantially-rectangular pocket 43 intersecting the bottom edge 44 thereof. The cartridge-stop lever 39 is supported in the relief -recess for both lateral pivotal movement and substantially-vertical bodily movement by supporting-means comprising a pivot-pin 4.5 engaged relatively freely in an aperture 46 which extends substantially vertically through the cartridge-stop lever intermediate its opposite ends, the opposite extremities 4'|--48 of the pivot-pin being engaged in axiallyaligned apertures 49 and 50 respectively formed substantially vertically in the upper edge 5 I of the relief-recess and the bottom edge 52 respectively of its pocket 43. It will be noted, moreover, that the lower extremity 48 of the pivotpin 45 is enlarged and provided with external threads for screw-threadedly engaging the threads of the enlarged lower aperture 50 in the bottom edge 52 of the pocket 43, whereby the pivot-pin is secured from dropping out of its substantiallyvertical axially-aligned apertures f ll-land 59 respectively. Formed in the outer face of the cartridge-stop lever, adjacent its forward end, is a spring-retaining socket 53, the axis of which is substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the lever-member, the socket 53 being adapted to accommodate the inner end of 'a coil compression spring 54. The outer end of the coil-spring 54 is adapted to engage, Without auxiliary support, against the adjacent vertical wall of the relief-recess 42, as shown especially well in Figs. 6 and 7, normally to urge the stop-lip 49 of the cartridge-stop lever 39 into position for engagement with the rim of the rearmostcartridge in the tubular magazine so as to effectively prevent egress thereof from the tubular magazine.

In the normal operation of the firearm, the

stop-lip 4B of the cartridge-stop lever is adapted to be swung outwardly out of engagement with the rearmost cartridge of the magazine against f'the resistance of the coil-spring 54 by engagement of the cam-lug 38 of theaction-slide bar with actuating-means of the stop-lever 39, said actuating-means comprising a cam-lug 55 upstanding from the upper edge of'the cartridges'top lever 39 and located forwardly of the pivotpin 45. thereof, a shown especially well in Figs. 2 and 7. When the cam-lug 55 of the cartridgestop is disengaged by the cam-lug of the forwardIy-moVing action-slide bar, the stop lever 39 is swung back into it normal position for engagement with the next-succeeding cartridge in the magazine by the force of the compressed spring 54.

' Formed integrally or otherwise secured to the {bottom edge of the cartridge-stop lever, is a depending-lug 56 through which extends the vertical aperture 46 of the lever-arm. At this point, it should be pointed out that the vertical dimension of the cartridge-stop lever, including its depending-lug 56, is less than the corresponding dimension of the relief-recess 42 and its pocket 43, as a consequence of which the cartridge-stop lever is free to move bodily substantially vertically on its pivot-pin 45, its downward displacement being limited by engagement of the lower end .of the lug 56 with the bottom 52 of the pocket 43, as shown in Fig. 7. In this position of the .cartridge-stop lever, its cam-lug 55 will be seen to lie below the path of movement of the camlug 38 of the action-slide bar so that the cam- ,lug 38 thereof will pass over the cam-lug 55 of the cartridge-stop lever 39 without causing, its stop-lip to be deflected out of its normal operative position of engagement with the rearmost cartridge in the magazine.

The above-mentioned bodily movement verti- -oally of the cartridge-stop lever is accomplished by means of a manually-operated lever-member, indicated generally at 51, which constitutes a cooperatively-associated element of the cartridge- -st0p means 39 and to this end is arranged to be entered by a substantially-rectangular. block- 1 like connecting-finger 58 which projects laterally from the outer face of the cartridge-stop lever .39 substantially intermediate its opposite ends. The connecting-finger 58 extends through a substantially-vertical clearance-slot 59 formed'in the adjacent Wall of the receiver and is free to move... .vertically therein, the outer extremity of the [connecting-finger 58 being adapted to engage in a substantially-rectangular aperture formed fi l- 8.11 enlargement 6| adjacentthe free endof lithe aforesaid..operatingrlever member..5 'l. ...The;.

' latter is =pivotally12mounted at its rear end by means-of a pivotalscrew 6-2 to the outerface of the left-handawall ofthe. receiver, asshown in Fig. 1, and is provided at its forward free end with a fingeregrippingcknob .63. Immediately rearwardlyvofmtheknobi 63 and'formed on the inside face-of thev operating-lever 51, is an inwardly-projectingadetent 6d adapted to engage in either of two substantially vertically-aligned dimples65-and66 respectively formed in the ad.- jacent face of the reeciver whereby the operatinglever-is positively held in-Jits off and font positions: respectively.

Since the operating-leverand more particularly its rectangular aperture 60 affords an articulated connectiomwith the connecting-finger 58 of the cartridge-stop'lever 39 byogripping the knob 63 of the operating-lever and pivoting the latter in a substantially-vertical plane, the cartridge-stop lever will :be moved also substantially vertically on its pivot-pin 45 thereby moving its cam-lug 55 into and from its normal position for cooperativeengagementwith the cam-lug 38 of the action-sli'de bar. .Thevertical-displacement of the cartridge-stop lever -by operationof the operating-lever 51 isx accomplished, uhowever, without efiecting any change in .the ,lateral displacement of the cartridge-stop lip 40, the latter being resiliently held in its normal inward position by'the force ofthe spring i 54' which isdisplaced bodily vertically concurrently -with the cartridge-stop lever. Consequently, the rearmost cartridge in the tubular magazineisheld from moving rearwardly therefromirrespective.of the position of the operating-levernr lIn this :connection, the upper or. off positionof the operating-lever, indicated especially well inFigs. 5 and 6, corresponds to the normalwoper'ating position ofthe .cartridge stop lever wherein its cam-lug 55 lies in the path of movementof. the cam-lug of the action-slide bar, for'operation thereby to release a cartridge from the tubular magazine during the rearward excursion -of,..the;breechblock and action-slide; while the. lower position of the opera'ting-lever, hereinafter referred to as its on position, corresponds-. with .that' position of the cartridge-stop lever wherein its cam-lug 55 is lowered out of the path'ofmovement of the camlug of the action-slide -ban'as a consequence of which the stop-lip of-the stop-lever remains 'in engagement withthe rearmost cartridge in the magazine during the opening and closing of the breech. a v

Thus, assuming a cartridge to be in the cartridge-chamber oithe-barrel and a second cartridge to be in the tubularmagazine of the firearm, then shoulditb'e desired to unlock the action from its breech-closing p ositionas shown in Fig. 2'so as to open the breech and withdraw the car'- tridge from the chamber'of the barrel, the shoot er engages thefknob 63 of the operating-lever 51 and pivotsthe latterjddwnwardly from its off position as showii'in' Figs. 2, 5 and 6, to its on position as shown in Figs. .7 and 8. In so doing, the cartridge s'top; lever. 39 is lowered substantially vertically whereby the cam-lug 3B of the action-slide bar 25 wi ll,pass over the cam-lug 5 5 of the cartridge stop lever as the breech-boltis unlocked-and moved rearwardlyto extract the shell from the.cartridge.chamber,of the barrel. Thus, since; the cartridge-stoplever is not defiected laterally by -the action-slide bar,..its stoplip 40 remains inzengagementwith the rearmost .cartridge mgthemagazine .to positively hold .the

latter dram-moving rearwardly': onto. the cartrid'geearrier, "and the action may be operated eomprisine; a fir t le lrmegns continuously without releasing the cartridges-in 1mg. med su s a ia l i ca on Said d will the magazine. Moreoverr since the openatinsand ar d ,sllpport d fi VfiI- m lever is positively held in its on position by the ece s thereof for both. vertical an ral engagement of its datent =64 in the lower dimple 5 mo em nt re v r t a d w n n i not the receiver, :the shooter is enabled to open sa d fi s ev -me adjacent the r en s the brleech and ejectmevcmride simpiy b ll,- saidtubular magazine; resilientemeans arranged *lng rearwardly on the fore-end Dime-fir arm i 93838 h t pivgtal lever'member rpm-nab the 'usual manner without havin: to hold back 1y to hold the said ,one end thereof inwardly Love;- the cartridges in the magazine Ibyhis other hand, so h I M en d t ul magazine to en e his other hand being izeeto assistin and hold the rearmost cartridge therein; 1801b: orzreloading a cantridge in the chamber: of the meahle e tm constructed and P barrel. In order to reset the :mtridzwst ranged ngrmanyitoigngage Said ifirs-t leyekmex-n means 239. 120 its. t when moving in one direction longitudinally shooter "pis'ots zthe ioperatmzelem 151 rnpwnxdlyutp afi the fit au matically swing the said its off position,s;wher.eup0n tnemm iuzefiia 911? d e e t a l a a -from th theicartridge-stopleyeris moved l pfinmibbefiflt n of Said tubular magazine to release a 10f movement eat :the cam-lug Minis-the; aetion m :therefrom; Seeond lever'memher' said slide bar for engagementtheneby when eat'erlevgrfmember being pivotauy mounted tionemeansiis ip -rated tomenibebreeohn c8!) f s W glfqsaid receiver for moyegnem essumsgehe emeeeea the ei the e-plene mentally parallel to the wee barrel has been removed in the manner ha emewan iar-tiQu-lated connectionlibetwfigg -a;h0ve..described, then by mhsequentmammllfir levgrmgmber Said second my?!" etion ref ithe fore-end, fichecariztidsevin the emits";- whereby-puma movement of Sam zinewillbe releasedzand tmmierred-iintherusua 25 lgyemmqmber W111. move said first lever'menlber manner intoitheshamhermii'hezbarre'l. supest-anmal-ly Vern-Cally s-aidpwiotal'meansx? .Theacantridgeestopmeansisthnsnfts elafivfib' the of movement of simpleconstruction,edumiblemoonomicalztozmam r'ogzable agtfuatmig'meansv; and detent'mgans ails" :ufacture :zand i'chail'amemze dzlhy manuahonemtion W with *Sald Second Yer-member 11pm independently ofitheieiction-moanstofvzthefirearm Smdusemnq Eva-member m a .pred-etermmw for selectively loading and themha .verttqa'Lpos-mon onithe recessed s-lde wall of 15am ihennfitheihanrel. I e g w s :The innentionmaimbeacaxrnied @utinmther 896- I 'cartr'ld-gefis-Fop means for-a firearm haymig acificiways than those heremssetzforthiwi-thoutude tubul'armaegazme and a recewfer provides, with parting thelispiritiandg 5E tmlxchdmctem a recessed side wall, sald cartridge-stop means .istics of the'inventitm, :and fiheipresont..:embudia t l F f f ts ram ltherefone; m {be idered' imfjeau -mountedsubstantmlly vertically on sa d side wall :respects "(as illustrative and :not. restrictive and aandia'rranged to support sald first? lever'member all changes homing the Meaning: and n-therecess-thereof for both vert cal and-lateral equivalencyrangeiofithezappendediclaimsare in- .4 mF-Wemem rela'mve there-towlth'one end of 'ztended to'berembraoedahemin. ,T- sa d jirstlevier meniber adJacent-the rear endot EI claim: zzig-igliglglfgnafizms; resigent-mearstcari iedby t I I Y I rem er an arrange o sidab iy a a irecessed side :wall said icartnidge stop...means iF F Pm to of Said (comprising: a#first'leve'n-imembenpptvotalemeans ffimtmvpfiedjlgver-memberimwamlyOver them mounted.substantialhtwerticallyiomsaidsidewall fgid'ofrsmdl'mbulapmagazm-e to engage and hold a gamng m smmis firstiem memr te rearmostcartridgetherein; IGCIIJIOCQbI QiJH- in thexecessrthereqf iombcithwertical and lateral mg'means ponstmctedand "arranged'normaeny movement relatinetmhenetoandewith one end ref F0 I San-i first "Myer-member moving zsaidfirstzleverememher.adianentrtheneareendsof .j l' 3m P q ll-y relativ thereto .said tubular masazinezmmsilisntemeen aria-need efifigf i swing Sam whereof to engage the first pivotal lever-member ngzmale I i :gggglf g S tubqlar .vly toholdthe, saideonerend thereoiiinwardlyiover :scondqevepmember g n ge j' .the rearenctofrsaid'tubulanmagazine wefinsfigfi W I t 11 S ec0nd -1 and hold the rearmost zcartricilge th rump: @555 g PlVO a y-mounted on the-said sideewall ot said-receiver for movement in a planesubstan- ,iggagllgnzggllgitl yiogg gi tially parallel to the vertical plane thereof; and her when moving miw n S b cti n l an:articulated;connection betweensald-first levere m6 ber -andssaidsecond-lever-membe e h '1) relative thereto to tautomaticallyswingMthesam t W ere 3' one vend thereof outwardlyawayimm lth-e reg-r .730 Pivotal-movernent..of said second lever-member end of Said tubular magazine to releasezea pair; -w11l move-said first lever-member substantially triage therefrom; fsecondflevermemberi Les-am rt1cal1 y one'said-plvotal-means.to and-from-the Second 1ever member beingtpwotvany momi'trdcon rpathnf movementeof sa1d reclprocable "actuating- "the said side wall oissaid receiver"forf;movement in a plane substantiallymara'llel to the vertical rse ewcartrrdse-stopmeansifor a-firearm having plane thereof;- and'an articulated-eonnectionflae- "wmbularmagazine and a -p o ed-wlth ttweenssaid ,flr t 1 mb and ra e-sidewall having :a recess on-the inner face ;.1ever member wherbyep'ivotal movement ofisaid thereofeand an aperture eXtending-therethrough :secondileveramembertwill -i gms tq =substantially intermediate the opposite ends of member t t a emt gn i e gm=-. 1 m1.. H rthe said recess, :said cartridge-stop vmeans commeanstman'dfromthe pathor movement ofisaid -nrisi gz a ifirst lever-member; a pivot-pin reciprocable actuating-enemas, v. .7 .7 e mounted' substantiallyvertically in'the recess-of I 32,;.(iagrtriflge stopumemjflbrna having *saideside rwallean'd arranged to support-said first tubular magazine-tantra;reoeimapmvidediwith seven-member in :said recess for both vertical .;recessed. sme;,wfll, said *mewnsslfl alfd laterebmovement relativeethereto and with one end of said first lever-member adjacent the rear end of said tubular magazine; resilientmeans carried by said first lever-member substantially intermediate the said one end thereof and the said pivotal-means and arranged to slidably engage against the inner face of said recessed side wall normally tohold the said one end of said first pivoted lever-member inwardly over the rear end of said tubular magazine to engage and hold the rearmost cartridge therein; reciprocable actuating-means constructed and arranged normally to engage said first levermember when moving in one direction longitudinally relative thereto to automatically swing said one end thereof outwardly away from the rear end of said tubular magazine to release a cartridge therefrom; a second lever-member having an aperture extending laterally therethrough; pivotal-means arranged to pivotally mount one end of said second lever-member on the outer face of said recessed side wall for pivotal movement in a plane substantially parallel to the vertical plane of said side wall; a fingergripping knob projecting laterally from the free end of said second lever-member; and an articulated connection between said first lever-member and said second lever-member, said articulated connection comprising a laterally-projecting lug of said first lever-member arranged to project through the aperture of said recessed side wall into the aperture of said second levermember whereby pivotal movement of said second lever-member will move said first levermember substantially vertically on said pivotpin to and from the path of movement of said reciprocable actuating-means.

5. Cartridge-stop means for a firearm having a tubular magazine and a receiver provided with a side wall having a recess on the inner face thereof and an aperture extending therethrough substantially intermediate the opposite ends of the said recess, said cartridge-stop means comprising a first lever-member; a pivot-pin mounted substantially vertically in the recess of said side wall and arranged to support said first levermember in said recess for both vertical and lateral movement relative thereto and with one end of said first lever-member adjacent the rear end of said tubular magazine; resilient-means carried by said first lever-member substantially intermediate the said one end thereof and the said pivotal-means and arranged to slidably engage against the inner face of said recessed side Wall normally to hold the said one end of said first pivoted lever-member inwardly over the rear end of said tubular magazine to engage and hold the rearmost cartridge therein; reciprocable actuating-means constructed and arranged normally to engage said first lever-member when movin in one direction longitudinally relative thereto to automatically swing said one end thereof outwardly away from the rear end of said tubular magazine to release a cartridge therefrom; a second lever-member having an.

aperture extending laterally therethrough; pivotal-means arranged to pivotally mount one end of said second lever-member on the outer face of said recessed side wall for pivotal movement in a plane substantially parallel to the vertical plane of said side wall; a finger-gripping knob projecting laterally from the free end of said second lever-member; an articulated connection between said first lever-member and said second lever-member, said articulated connection comprising a laterally-projecting lug of said first lever-member arranged to project through the aperture of said recessed side wall into the aperture of said second lever-member whereby pivotal movement of said second lever-member will move said first lever-member substantially vertically on said pivot-pin to and from the path of movement of said reciprocable actuatingmeans; and detent-means carried by said second lever and engageable with the outer face of said recessed side wall to hold said second levermember in a predetermined vertical position on the said sidewall of said receiver.

FREDERICK L. HUMESTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 961,412 Johnson June 14, 1910 2,090,340 Browning Aug. 17, 1937 

